Water damage cancels classes at West Somerville school

West Somerville Neighborhood School canceled classes and after-school activities for Tuesday, Oct. 13, after water entered the building overnight Sunday and damaged several classrooms. School officials were working toward resuming classes Wednesday, Oct. 14, Boston 25 reported Monday, Oct. 12.

The cancellation disrupted the school community. The school, at 177 Powder House Boulevard in Somerville, serves students from pre-K through grade 8.

Tuesday’s closure followed a scheduled day without students. Somerville Public Schools’ calendar lists Monday, Oct. 12, as a staff-development day, meaning regular student classes were not scheduled for that day either.

Cleanup continued as officials assessed damage

Boston 25, attributing details to a school statement, reported that several classrooms had different levels of water damage, while some areas of the building were unaffected. The affected areas were being assessed and dried.

City crews and remediation teams worked Monday to clean, assess and dry the affected areas, according to the report. The city had activated an emergency operations center, and the school district’s Continuity of Operations Plan was in effect as crews worked.

Officials had not determined the cause of the water intrusion. The school statement, as reported by Boston 25, said the issue was being investigated with a city roof contractor and identified a malfunctioning roof drain as one possibility. That possibility had not been confirmed.

Roof replacement was underway separately

City project information shows roof-replacement work at the school was underway and expected to continue through fall. The city’s project information does not identify that work as the cause of the water intrusion.

Wednesday, Oct. 14, was a target for resuming classes, not a confirmed reopening date. As of the Monday report, cleanup and assessment were continuing while school officials worked toward that target.